| The Twelve Songs of Christmas |
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We need a little music,
Need a little laughter, Need a little singing Ringing through the rafter . . . We need a little Christmas now. |
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| And on Earth . . . Peace |
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below to go to other chapters and recordings: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Past, Present, Future Chapter 3: The Twelve Songs of Christmas Chapter 4: Standing on Many Corners Chapter 5: Showtime at Five O'Clock Chapter 6: Chicago Off-Off-Off Broadway Chapter 7: San Francisco Off-Off-Off Broadway Chapter 8: Palm Springs Off-Off-Off Broadway Chapter 9: With a Song in My Heart Chapter 10: Index of Performers and Songs |
For the first song of Christmas . . .[song 1] Santa Claus Is Coming to Town -- 1949The Moreen family consisted of my mother Harriett, father Oakley, brother Bob, sister Pam and myself. We lived in an apartment on Keeney Street in Evanston, Illinois, until 1950. My grandmother Sarah's residence was nearby at the Pembridge Hotel, where she was employed as manager. At an early age I became fascinated with a small organ which she kept in her living room. Grandma would pump the pedals and I would play songs by ear on the keyboard. I was soon hooked. I have continued to be hooked, more than seventy-five years later. We kids inherited our mother's love of music. I began taking piano lessons when I was in first grade. Bob and Pam, five and eight years younger than I, followed similar paths, with all three of us ultimately playing piano, string bass and assorted other instruments. The Moreen home sounded quite contrapuntal at times, particularly after we moved in 1950 to Wilmette, Illinois. Sometime in the early 1940s our parents had bought a beautiful cabinet housing a phonograph player/recorder system. We would occasionally make home recordings using a microphone and seven-inch 78-rpm acetate discs (this was of course before reel-to-reels or cassettes, Walkmans or iPhones). The song "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" was recorded on this vintage machine, with our "arrangement" consisting of Bob's telling me how to play and my telling Bob how to sing. This rendition you'll hear may have triggered the start of Bob's successful musical career in Chicago, where he has performed as both vocalist and pianist for many years.  Bob and Denis Moreen, 1944
[songs 2-3-4] Three Songs for Christmas -- 1969 Medley of 3 songs: "Home for the Holidays" - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - "The Secret of Christmas" The three Moreen kids all attended New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Illinois. New Trier had ten music teachers and over 5,500 students, an artistic power house. As a high school student I became involved in almost every musical activity. I graduated in 1955, at which time Bill Peterman, the music department chairman, said to me, "You'll be back here some day." Nine years later Bill offered me a full-time job teaching music at New Trier. I jumped at the opportunity, not only because New Trier was my alma mater, but also because Bill was a fabulous musician and leader. In 1964 New Trier was planning to open a second high school the following year in Northfield, so for a while I split my time between the two schools (they became known as "East" and "West"). In 1967 I began full-time at New Trier West, along with my incredible colleagues Ted Klinka and Sam Mages. I arranged the medley "Three Songs for Christmas" for New Trier East's Christmas concert in 1965. The orchestrations were by Fred Smale. Imagine my thrill hearing the work performed by an eighty-piece orchestra and a chorus of over 1,000 singers! We repeated the same arrangement in 1969 at New Trier West's Christmas concert.  New Trier High School West music faculty Sam Mages, Ted Klinka, Bob Quint, Denis and Roger Mills, 1969
[songs 5-6-7-8] Christmas Contrasts -- 1967 Medley of 4 songs: "Deck the Halls" - "What Child Is This?" - "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" - "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" At New Trier West I formed a select group of singers known as the "New Trier West Boys Ensemble" (not to be outdone by New Trier East, which had its own "Boys Ensemble"). Likewise Ted Klinka formed a select group of singers known as the "New Trier West Girls Ensemble" (again, in friendly competition with New Trier East). I'm moved to realize that many decades after leaving New Trier, more than forty of these wonderful "kids" still keep in touch with me. I arranged the medley "Christmas Contrast" for the 1967 New Trier West Christmas concert. The performers included the Boys and Girls Ensembles, the Choir and the other younger singers in the department, plus the orchestra directed by Sam Mages. Astute members of California Desert Chorale will no doubt recognize echoes from this 1967 work in arrangements which I wrote for the Chorale many years later (see song 10 below).  New Trier High School West Boys Ensemble, with Don Brownlee top row fourth from right and Ross Brittain next to top row far left, 1968
[song 9] The Huron Carol -- 2009 In 2006 The Fountains at the Carlotta hired me to direct their choral group, "The Singing Fountains." The twenty-five or so singers were mostly in their seventies and eighties; their love of singing was contagious. I worked with these wonderful people for five years. I arranged "The Huron Carol" for the Carlotta Singing Fountains 2009 Christmas concert. The words were written in 1643 by a French missionary in Canada who worked with local Indian tribes. He set his lyrics to a 16th century French folk song; they were later translated into English.  Denis and colleagues at his Carlotta Singing Fountains retirement party, 2010
[song 10] Love and Joy Come to You -- 2011 Mashup of 3 songs: "Here We Come A-Wassailing" - "Deck the Hall" - "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" My search for "small" music jobs after moving to Palm Springs took a giant leap forward in 2006. One day I read a listing in Desert Guide about an upcoming concert by the "California Desert Chorale." I went to the performance, introduced myself to conductor Jackie Doyle and was hired as accompanist for the next concert. The gig lasted ten years! When Tim Bruneau became Artistic Director of the Chorale in 2008, he invited me to join him as his artistic partner, not only accompanying but also advising on repertoire, assisting in rehearsals and arranging of music. Tim is a superb musician, a great friend and a joy to work with. In 2011 I was pondering about a possible new work and my thoughts went to my 1967 arrangement "Christmas Contrasts" (see songs 5 and 7 above). I decided to "borrow" some of my old ideas and rework them for the 21st century. So I took two older songs, one newer song, and Voila! the mixture became "Love and Joy Come to You." A mashup for Christmas.  Denis, Tim Bruneau, Santa Claus and friends, 2011
[song 11] White Christmas -- 2013 I met Ron Cohn in 2008 when he was looking for an accompanist in Palm Springs. Ron is the most enthusiastic, hardest-working 80+year-old I've ever known. His unique cabaret productions take place in his living room, where he acts as singer, dancer and raconteur suprême. We then take his show to the Joslin Center and other venues in Coachella Valley. Ron's performances have attracted over 1,000 adoring fans. I look forward to next year's show! Ron has also taken his cabaret act on the road to Chicago, where he has been accompanied by -- guess who? -- none other than my brother Bob. Altogether now: "It's a Small, Small World." This arrangement of "White Christmas" was prepared for Ron's 2013 show featuring music by Irving Berlin. In his own unique style, Ron demonstrated how friendships can make every Christmas a "White Christmas."  Ron and Denis, 2008
. . . For the twelfth song
of Christmas . . .
[song 12] I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day -- 2016 This is the kind of story teachers live for. In 1967 at New Trier West I arranged a medley of carols which included "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," sung by all the students at our Christmas programs (see song 8 above). I then thought nothing more about the song . . . until . . . In 2007 I received a note from Don Brownlee, one of my former students with whom I'd kept in touch (see his photo in song 8 above). Don said he still remembered singing "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" and loved it so much that he wanted to sing it again, now with his church choir in Virginia. Don has had no formal music education other than one music theory class, but he has benefited from a lifetime of teaching and training from a series of outstanding musicians. So Don went online, downloaded the Encore music notation program, and copied my arrangement from an old faded dittograph copy he had "borrowed" back in 1967. He asked for my help on a few final touches. I was so moved by all this that I told Don of course, I would work with him to augment his work for chorus, organ and handbells. Which I did in time for his 2007 Christmas service. The next year I added instrumental parts for the California Desert Chorale, which has sung the selection on a number of occasions beginning in 2008. So the performance you'll hear is the direct result of a former high school student reflecting, forty years later, on his former high school teacher's work forty years earlier. What more could one ask for?  California Desert Chorale in concert, 2010
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